Customer reviews

I've rated it good overall, but there's things to keep in mind. This is an
entire season of Doctor Who in one box-set. It was the first time in the
show's history that they put a story-arc across the 6 serials (26 episodes
total), and for the most part, it worked.

For me, the serial “The Power of Kroll” was a low point, and I'd give it
2 stars at best. But I loved “The Androids of Tara” and “The Armageddon
Factor” – redeeming features of the set for sure.

For those who are trivially-minded, the Captain in “The Pirate Planet” is
played by the late Bruce Purchase – a Thames-born Kiwi boy!

A good season, with a new companion, Mary Tamm, who plays Romana (but only
lasts one season…no spoiler there; she voluntarily regenerates at the
beginning of the next season), and the ever lovable K-9. Overall, it's a good
way to fill in an empty weekend!

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Description

The Key to Time boxed set starring the much loved 4th Doctor (Tom Baker) in a
multi-story collection, containing the six linked stories comprising Doctor
Who's 16th season (1978) along with a huge array of extras contained on
seven discs.

The Ribos Operation:
The Doctor and Romana trace the first segment of the Key To Time to the planet
Ribos, where they first encounter two con artists who think big.

The Pirate Planet:
Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) penned this episode in which
the Doctor and Romana seek the second segment of the Key to Time on a parasitic
planet.

The Stones of Blood:
The search for the third segment of the Key leads the Doctor and Romana to the
English countryside and an ancient stone circle called The Nine Travelers.

The Androids of Tara:
Romana quickly locates the Fourth Segment of the Key to Time while the Doctor
indulges in a little fishing, but they fail to leave the planet Tara before
becoming embroiled in its complex political intrigues.

The Power of Kroll:
The search for the fifth segment of the Key To Time mires the Doctor and Romana
in conflicts on Delta 3 between the Swampies and colonists from Earth.

The Armageddon Factor:
The search for the Sixth (and last) Segment of the Key to Time bring the Doctor,
Romana and K9 to the planet Atrios, where they encounter a pesky interplanetary
war and Princess Astra, who is linked to the sixth segment in some
mysterious way.

7 disc Doctor Who DVD Boxed Set.

The huge list of SPECIAL FEATURES include: Commentaries with
Tom Baker, Mary Tamm, Bruce Purchase, director Pennant Roberts, script editor
Anthony Read, director Darrol Blake, Susan Engel, John Leeson, Michael Hayes and
writer David Fisher; Twenty Five Making Of specials including comparing and
contrasting present day locations as they are now with how they appeared in the
story, and a host of cast and crew inside looks at the filming of each episode;
Late Night Story – Tom Baker reads five spine-chilling stories from this
1978 series plus Continuities, Alternative/Ex­tended Scenes, Original
Trailer's Photo Galleries, Radio Times Listings, Programme subtitles, Subtitle
Production Notes, Film Inserts, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes and Easter Eggs.